Reborn
by fallingwisteria
Summary: They met coincidentally, but their love was never meant to be. 150 years later, they are reborn into a world of chaos. But with an unexpected encounter, old friendships are strained. Can they make their love succeed the second time? AU. Saito/OC/Okita
1. Chapter 1

**This is the first chapter of my new story! I decided to put it up as a sort of prologue. I wish fanfiction had the option of more genres. Just a heads up - this story's going to be a tragedy, just like all my other stories, and it's going to be really angsty too. It also might be a while before I post the next chapter because I really want to work on the actual story a bit before uploading it. This chapter doesn't count because it doesn't have too much of an impact on the rest of the story. This is the first fanfiction that I've written that's set in modern day, so I'm sort of nervous and excited! I was really surprised by how quickly I finished all of my college prepping stuff, so now I have more time to write. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this first chapter, and please review!**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The girl sat alone in the dim room. She watched the shadows of leaves dancing along the walls as she waited. Her long, slim fingers played with the hem of her dark-green kimono. Soon, her mother would be arriving with a potential marriage candidate. Her hand fluttered up to her inky, black hair, set with ornate, golden, gemmed pins. She had absolutely no interest in marrying someone she had never met before. She shifted her weight from one shin to the other, her legs growing numb. Her light-brown eyes shifted restlessly and she let out a shaky breath. The minutes seemed to drag on forever as she waited. Suddenly, a noise outside caused her to perk up. She strained her ears, trying to catch the conversation; anything to alleviate her boredom.

"Seriously, Heisuke?" A nasally voice scoffed. "You can't even hold on to a single sheet of paper? That's why I wanted Hajime-kun to have it."

"I can't help it! It was windy!" A childish voice complained.

"Well, you were the one who let it blow away, so you should go and get it." The first voice contended.

"But Souji!" Heisuke whined. "It's someone else's house!"

"So? Is that _my_ problem?"

"Hajime-kun!" Heisuke addressed another person. "Help me, please! If you get caught, you're better at giving explanations than I am!"

The girl couldn't make out anything past incoherent muttering.

"Please!" Heisuke pleaded, apparently not very pleased with whatever Hajime had said. The girl could imagine the boy with his eyes as large as saucers and the palms of his hands pressed together. There was another incoherent mumble and Heisuke whooped with joy. Evidently Hajime had complied with his demand.

"Shut up!" Souji hissed at the boy. "Are you _trying_ to wake up the whole neighborhood? You're going to get us caught before we even _do_ anything!"

Her interest in what was happening outside made the girl stand up. She shook her legs out to get the feeling back in them, and slid open the door that faced the garden outside. She stepped off the wooden porch and onto the soft, green grass. Wiggling her bare toes around, she savored the feeling of being outside, in the sun, instead of gazing at it from afar. She wandered along the great expanse of fence, trying to figure out where the men were on the other side, as they had gone quiet. But she stopped when she noticed a sheet of paper caught in one of the small bushes. She moved to pick it up, but a grunting noise distracted her. She looked up and saw a young man with violet hair and the most beautiful cerulean eyes she had ever seen. She gasped in surprise and the startled man slid off the top of the fence without warning. For a moment, everything went dark and she felt something heavy land on her and a pain shot up her back. She let out a muffled cry and noticed that the man had landed on top of her. Her mouth was pressed against his collarbone and he smelled of leaves and cherry blossoms. With a free hand, she tugged on his black kimono. He quickly scrambled up.

"I'm sorry!" He mumbled.

"That's okay." She responded, quickly pushing herself up as he adjusted the collar of his kimono.

They stared at each other for a moment. Her eyes searched his face, memorizing his handsome features.

"Hey!" A voice on the other side of the fence made her jump. "Did you get the map?"

"Did you bump into someone?" Souji added. "I thought I heard someone else."

The pale man in front of her ignored his companions and continued to stare at her. She felt her cheeks grow warm and she turned around to pluck the paper out of the bush. She held it out to him. "Here, this is what you were looking for, right?" He took the paper wordlessly, and the tip of his fingers accidentally brushed hers. She flinched from the electricity that surged through her veins at the contact. Her amber eyes flickered to his blue ones, and she knew he had felt it too.

"What's your name?" He whispered.

She moistened her dry lips with her tongue. "Tsukino Kyrie." She replied hoarsely. "You?"

"Saito Hajime."

"Saito-san, you should leave before my mother returns and finds you here. She-"

"Kyrie, where are you?!" A high-pitched voice screeched.

Her eyes widened. "The exit's that way." She pointed behind Saito. "Just keep walking and you'll find it." She turned and jumped up onto the porch. "I'm here mother." Kyrie quickly closed the door behind her so that her mother wouldn't see Saito in the garden.

"I thought I told you to stay in this room!" Her mother, a severe-looking woman with graying hair, scolded.

"I'm sorry." Kyrie bowed her head. "I just wanted some fresh air."

"I told you not to leave without my permission! What if your skin darkens because of the sun?!"

"I'm sorry."

Her mother sighed angrily. "We don't have time for this. Straighten up. Your fiancée will be here shortly." Kyrie patted her hair into place and tugged on her dark-green, silk kimono before kneeling down again. Minutes later, a young man wearing a formal kimono entered the room and sat down in front of the girl. Surprisingly, the man wasn't unattractive at all. His black hair, slightly curly, framed his thin, angular face. His lips were full and his eyebrows thin and expressive. On the contrary though, his eyes seemed darker than black and completely devoid of emotion, and they scoured her porcelain skin, pale and deprived of sunlight. She averted her gaze, feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny. His lips curled into a leer and she felt her blood run cold. There was something about this man that felt sinister. Her mother smiled. "Kyrie, meet Fujiwara Satomi, your future husband."

Kyrie's eyes widened at the words. "Husband? But you said he was just a candidate!"

Her mother smiled as if she were scolding a young child. "Yes, but there really isn't a need to meet the other candidates. Out of all of them, Satomi's the best. He comes from a family with more power and wealth than all the others. The outcome has already been decided."

Kyrie glanced at Satomi, hoping for some retaliation on his part against her mother's decision, but all that came from him was the dark smirk. "Please take care of me, Tsukino-san." He said mockingly.

"There's no need to address her so formally!" Her mother simpered. "Just call her Kyrie. You two _are_ to be married after all."

"Mother!" Kyrie breathed, aghast.

"Be quiet. You'll do as I say." She snapped; then she turned to Satomi. "What do you think of her?"

"She's beautiful." I think she'd make a good wife."

"Well then…" Her mother sighed with relief, obviously glad that he had accepted so easily.

Satomi stood up. "As much as I would like to stay longer, I, unfortunately, have pressing matters to attend to."

"Yes, of course. I understand." Kyrie's mother stood as well and quickly motioned for her daughter to do the same.

Her future husband stepped forward and leaned down until his lips were almost touching her ear. She suppressed a shudder. "I expect you to be as obedient to me as you are to your mother." He laughed once without emotion before pulling away and exiting the room.

When Kyrie was sure that he was gone, she turned to her mother. "Please mother, I don't want to marry him! I don't even like him!"

Her mother's dark eyes turned icy cold as she glared at her daughter, and with a single motion, she slapped the girl. The sound of skin striking skin reverberated loudly throughout the large room. Tendrils of her hair fell loose from her bun as her head snapped to the side. She brought a hand up to the throbbing skin. "I am your mother, and you _will_ obey me!" The middle-aged lady yelled. "Do you think marriage is about love? If you do, then you're still a naïve little girl. Marriage is about strengthening the family and raising its status. If you don't even know that, then don't think about talking back to me. Satomi comes from an old, wealthy, and respectable family. As such, you _will_ marry him."

Kyrie felt tears pricking her eyes as she watched her mother stomp out of the room. Slowly she opened the door to the garden, and to her surprise, she saw a violet-haired man standing on the wooden porch, beside the door. She jumped back, gasping. "Saito-san, what are you doing here? I thought you left with your friends."

"I told them to go on ahead first." He responded quietly.

"Here, come with me." She reached down and grabbed his wrist, tugging him down the hall. She peeked around the corner, checking to see if the coast was clear before pulling him to her room. Once the door was safely shut, she let out a nervous breath and dropped his hand. "Thank goodness. If my mother had caught you, you would have been dead!" She turned around to face him. "So, why did you stay?"

Saito reached out a hand to touch the red cheek her mother had struck. "You're being forced into an arranged marriage…" He stated.

"Yes, with a man I don't love."

"Why don't you tell her you don't want to?"

"I tried to, but she won't listen to me! I'm not allowed to disobey her. She doesn't accept me for who I am. I don't want to stay at home and marry a man purely for his status and connection. I want to be free. I want to experience whatever this world has to offer, and I want to be with someone who loves me!"

"There are people out there who will accept you for who you are. You just have to find them." Saito responded. "Like I have."

Kyrie stared at him wordlessly for a moment. The silence was long and deep, broken only by someone calling her name outside the door. She started in surprise. "Young mistress, I've brought some tea." A servant's voice croaked.

The girl's hand fluttered up to her long, white throat where she could hear her pulse beating erratically. "Fine, leave it there. I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment." She heard the sound of a wooden tray being set down, and then a pair of feet shuffling away.

"I should go." Saito turned to leave, but Kyrie grabbed the sleeve of his black kimono, halting him.

"Will I ever see you again?" She waited for his answer, hoping he'd say yes, but he only stared at her. "Where do you stay?"

"I fight for the Shinsengumi, but it will be impossible for you to meet me at the compound. Visitors are strictly monitored." He responded quietly.

"Then will you come here? Tomorrow, at the same time?" She asked desperately.

The corners of Saito's lips turned up slightly in a miniscule smile. "Yes." Once again, his fingers traced her red cheek, and she felt the same burning sensation she had felt before when he had touched her. He dropped his hand, and like a gust of wind, he was gone.

* * *

"Kyrie, are you dressed?" Her mother slid the door open and looked down at the girl pouring over a book. "Good. I invited Satomi over for some tea."

"You did what?" Kyrie's jaw dropped open.

"He's already here, waiting for you. Now come." The old lady turned around.

"Wait, mother!"

She glanced back over her shoulder at her daughter. "What is it? If it's about your marriage to Satomi, I don't want to hear it."

"But I found someone I love!"

Her mother's eyes hardened. "Who is it?"

"He fights for the Shinsengumi." Kyrie said hopefully.

"The Shinsengumi? That group of wannabe samurais?" Her mother snorted. "What can he give you? Does he have any money? Any land? Any power or status?" Kyrie floundered about for words. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. Her mother arched an eyebrow at her silence. "I thought not. Now come. Stop making up fantasies. Satomi's waiting for us."

Satomi smiled coldly as she kneeled in front of him. Kyrie swallowed hard and glanced up at her mother who was practically grinning from ear to ear. Her mother bowed and glided to the door. "Wait here. I'll have some tea brought in momentarily."

As soon as she left, Kyrie leaned forward to confront her fiancée-to-be. "Are you okay with this?"

"With what?" He blinked innocently.

"This arranged marriage!" She explained indignantly.

He shrugged mildly. "Well, yes, for the most part. I don't have any complaints about it."

"But you don't even love me! Don't you want to marry a girl you love?"

Satomi scoffed and his eyes narrowed into black slits. "How foolish. As if I have that luxury." Kyrie frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. "Do you want to know why I agreed to this ridiculous marriage in the first place?"

Kyrie nodded, her amber eyes expectant.

He leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "Don't tell your mother, or I will have to punish you."

She pulled away from the man. "Speak."

His lips curled into a sneer. "The truth is: my family is in a bit of a dangerous position right now. No one really knows of our situation, but we fell out of political favor, and we owe a lot of money. Marrying you would give us the money we need. Plus the emperor likes your family. If I married you, he might show us some leniency."

Kyrie froze. "That's the reason you're marrying me?"

His sneer was heartless. "Of course. Who else would marry someone like you? You talk too much. Women should sit quietly behind their husbands." He turned his head slightly as he heard the sound of footsteps behind the door; then he turned back to Kyrie and brought a finger up to his lips, as if they were best friends sharing a secret. "We don't want your mother to find out, now do we?" He whispered conspiratorially.

The door opened and Kyrie's mother stepped into the room, flanked by several maids carrying trays of tea and snacks. After the trays had been set down in front of them, her mother smiled at the two of them. "I think I should leave you two alone to talk."

"Wait!" Kyrie stopped her, deciding to take her chances. What would Satomi be able to do to her if she told her mother? "Do you know why Satomi agreed to marry me?" She glanced at Satomi who smiled at her innocently and then back to her mother whose eyes had narrowed.

"What nonsense are you spouting now?" Her mother hissed.

"His family isn't as great as you think it is! They're in a lot of debt, and their political standing is shaky! Satomi's only marrying me in hopes that our family can save his!"

Her mother glanced at Satomi. "Is this true?" She asked him, and for a moment, Kyrie felt hope rising in her, that finally her mother would listen to her and cancel the wedding.

Satomi's eyes widened, like a child pleading for favor. "Of course not!" The old lady turned to Kyrie, ready to scold her, but stopped her, his voice soothing. "Don't be mad at her. I understand that she's scared to marry someone she met just yesterday. It's alright, I don't mind it one bit."

Her mother shot the girl a warning look before bowing to Satomi. "Thank you, you are kind. I'm sorry for my daughter's behavior."

He waved a hand, dismissing her thanks. "No, not at all."

As her mother left the room, Kyrie felt her heart drop. She turned to Satomi who eyed her surreptitiously. "What?" She snapped at him.

He inched closer to her, placing both hands on the tatami next to her thighs, and leaning forward until his face was close enough to hers that she could feel his warm breath on her skin. "You know," he whispered, "you must not be as smart as I initially thought you were. I told you not to tell your mother about our little secret, but here you go, spilling it. In front of me, even!" Kyrie felt her heart racing, and her breath came out a short gasps. "I told you, I'd punish you if you told your mother. What, did you think I was just playing with you?" She tried to scramble away from him, but he caught her hands and pinned them next to her so that she couldn't move. Then he smiled. For the first time, the smile reached his eyes, but it was a hungry smile, like a beast whose hunger was never satiated. And Kyrie had never felt as terrified as she did at this moment.

"What are you doing?" Kyrie gasped as his lips grazed her neck.

"Giving you your punishment." He lifted a hand and untied her crimson obi.

"Stop it!" She tried to push him away, but to no avail. "Saito-san!" She cried.

Satomi looked up at her with surprise. "Saito? Who is that? The man you love?" He scoffed and leaned down to kiss her. As his lips touched hers, she opened her mouth and bit him. He recoiled, yelping in surprise. Then he laughed. "What audacity!" He exclaimed. "But unfortunately for you, this 'Saito-san' of yours won't be coming to your rescue." He reached into the sleeve of his kimono and pulled out an embroidered handkerchief. Then he reached over and grabbed Kyrie's cheeks with a single hand, forcing her mouth open. He stuffed the white, square cloth into her mouth, muting her. He pushed her down onto the tatami and pinned her wrists above her head with only one hand. His mouth went back to her neck as his free hand unwrapped her obi. Kyrie closed her eyes and hot, salty tears fell down her face as she realized that no one was coming to save her.

* * *

She opened her eyes as the weight on top of her finally disappeared. Satomi tightened his grey hakama as he looked down coldly at her. Kyrie clutched the front of her dark-blue kimono together. Her eyes stared up blankly at the ceiling. Her tears run dry long ago. Satomi scoffed at the sight. "Are you mad at me? Do you hate me?" She didn't respond and he chuckled. "Well, I don't care if you do. It's not like I'm marrying you because I love you. I'm only training my future wife to be obedient, like she should be. Maybe next time you'll listen to what I say."

Kyrie sat up. Her hair was a complete mess. "You're a monster." She whispered.

"I suppose I should thank you." Satomi smirked. "Now I don't have to go to Shimabara tonight."

The door to the room slid open. "I was just checking to see if you two were alright." Kyrie's mother looked up from her kneeling position on the floor and gasped at the sight of her daughter. "What is the meaning of this?!" She glanced at Satomi for an explanation.

He shook his head, his face carefully composed into a mask of shock and surprise. "I have no idea! When she heard your footsteps in the hall, she began to undress and mess up her hair."

Kyrie's mother turned her icy glare to her daughter. "This is the last straw." She hissed, stalking over to the girl. She grabbed her arm and hauled her up. "You come with me."

"Mother, he's lying! That's not what happened!" Kyrie cried.

"And what advantage would Satomi gain from lying?! You have shamed our family!"

"But mother, I'm telling the truth!"

"I told you to stop talking back to me! Since _this_ is what happens when I leave you to your own devices, the wedding is being moved up. You two will be married tomorrow!" She turned to Satomi. "Is that alright for you?" She asked. "I apologize deeply if I've inconvenienced you."

Satomi shook his head and took a sip of his tea. "No, not at all. In fact, I think the sooner the better. But unfortunately, my parents will be in Edo tomorrow, so they will be unable to attend the wedding, and we will be unable to use our estate."

"That's quite alright. I apologize if it is unconventional, but is it alright if you two wed in our mansion. Kyrie won't be riding a Palanquin though, but we will have everything set up here."

Satomi smiled. "I understand the circumstances. It's alright."

Her mother sighed in relief. "That's good. Thank you for accommodating for us. Now, if you'll excuse us, I'm very sorry for the scene my daughter caused." She bowed low and dragged Kyrie out of the room.

"I promise it really wasn't like Satomi said it was!" The girl cried as she stumbled down the hallway.

Her mother opened the door to her room and threw her in. "I am fed up with you! You have blatantly shamed me and this family! How dare you do something like that to Satomi! And now you're calling him a liar?!" She took a breath and closed her eyes, trying to regain her composure. "You will stay in your room until the wedding tomorrow. Don't even _think_ about trying to leave!" Her mother slammed the door behind her.

Kyrie collapsed on the floor with renewed tears springing to her eyes. _"Why? Why doesn't my own mother believe me?!"_ She grasped her upper arms, hugging herself tightly, afraid that she would fall apart if she didn't hold herself together. "I feel so dirty." She whispered. The door opened again, and she looked up, expecting it to be her mother. But a tall, pale man with long, violet hair stepped into the room. "Saito-san."

His mouth parted slightly as he took in her disheveled appearance. He knelt down in front of her and reached out a hand to touch her face. "What happened?"

She flinched away from his touch. "No, don't touch me! I'm dirty!"

His blue eyes narrowed. "No, you're not." His hand found her cheek. "You're not dirty."

"Saito-san." She whispered, squeezing her eyes shut as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. "Please, I can't take it anymore! Take me away. Get me out of this place!"

"That man…what did he do to you?" Although Saito's face was a blank slate, behind his thinly veiled eyes burned a raging fire.

"I can't marry him. I can't live like that – like a tool to be used only when I'm convenient!" She laid a hand over his. "This is what I want – this feeling every time you touch me. I know I only met you yesterday, but I feel like I've known you my entire life! This hand, your face, your voice, everything seems so familiar to me." She leaned in and kissed him. Her lips pressed against his, and she dared not move. She felt his initial surprise, but then he relaxed and his mouth parted slightly, accepting her feelings.

He broke away from her, but kept his face close enough to see his own reflection in her amber eyes. "I'm not prepared right now, but I'll come back tomorrow."

"My wedding's tomorrow."

Saito's eyes widened. "Tomorrow?"

"It was moved up."

"When is it tomorrow?"

"In the morning."

"I won't let you get married." He stood up. "I'll be here tomorrow morning."

* * *

Kyrie avoided looking at Satomi as she took a sip of sake from a small, ornate cup. The mere sight of him made her want to puke. There was no way she would ever be able to forget what he had done to her the day before. She waited a bit for the burn of the alcohol to die before replacing the cup on the wooden tray. After Satomi had done the same, she stood up and padded over to the next tray, shifting her white kimono before kneeling down in front of it. She, her mother, and Satomi were the only ones in the room, and after she finished this cup, there would only be one more before she was officially declared Satomi's wife. She lifted up the cup and sipped the sake. Her hands shook as she set the empty cup down. _"He promised he'd be here. He promised he wouldn't let me get married. But we're already at the last cup."_ She stood up slowly, trying to delay the time. Like the others, she picked up the cup of sake. _"He's not coming." _She felt the cool liquid touch her lips, and then the door slid open. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. She dropped the cup, and the alcohol splashed all over the tatami, staining it.

"Who are you?" Her mother cried in surprise.

"I promised I would come." The man looked straight at Kyrie.

The girl stood up slowly, unable to believe her eyes. "Saito-san!" She ran to him. "You came!"

"I'm not too late, am I?"

She shook her head. "No, you're just in time."

"So _you're_ Saito-san?" An icy cold voice shattered their happy reunion.

Kyrie looked back at Satomi who had stood up, katana in hand.

"That's him? That commoner?" Satomi cocked an eyebrow.

"Kyrie!" Her mother shouted. "Stop this nonsense at once! Haven't you gone far enough?"

"It's alright." Satomi glanced at the woman. "I've got this under control. If you wouldn't mind leaving us, please, I'll sort this out." He drew his katana. The aging woman blinked quickly several times at the sword before nodding and scampering from the room. "Now that we're alone, let's get this over with." He took a step forward.

Saito pushed Kyrie to the side and drew his own katana. With a calculating eye, he gauged the distance between himself and his opponent.

"Left handed?" Satomi sneered. He snorted and leapt forward. Saito raised his katana and blocked the attack. With a sweep of the blade, he pushed the black-haired man back. "You're not half bad." Satomi appraised.

Saito set his jaw and wordlessly brought his sword down on the man. The cry of metal against metal rang out and Kyrie flinched. Satomi ducked out from underneath the sword and raced around Saito. He stopped just in front of Kyrie.

"I don't have much time for this play. I can tell you're obviously much stronger than I am." He sighed. "I was really betting on saving my family by marrying this girl, but this is much more trouble than I had anticipated. But there's one thing you must know. I am a very vengeful and egotistical person. So if I can't have her, then you can't either." Satomi smirked

Saito's eyes widened as the man grabbed Kyrie. She gasped as he pulled her towards him. She saw Saito running towards them and she felt Satomi's cool, metal blade sinking into her abdomen. She cried out as the pain finally registered in her mind. "Tsukino-san!" She heard Saito calling her name. She felt herself falling backwards as Satomi pushed her; and she felt a pair of strong arms catch her. "Tsukino-san!"

"Saito-san." She whispered. She glanced down at the hand pressed against the wound. The crimson blood was staining her white kimono. "It's better this way."

"That's not true." Saito gripped her hand in his, not caring that it was slick with blood.

"Can I ask you one last favor? Please tell me that you love me, even if it's a lie."

He blinked in surprise. But he leaned down and pressed his lips to her softly. "I love you." He murmured against her lips. In his deep-blue eyes she could see all his sincerity.

She smiled up at him. "Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the wait! I was actually going to wait a little longer before updating this chapter, but it took me a month just to finish this chapter, and I wanted to get a couple more in before I go off to college soon. I made a few changes to the plot line, so hopefully it'll be more interesting. I've been really lazy with writing (or doing anything in general). It's summer, and it's 100 plus degrees outside, and all I ever feel like doing now is sleeping. Plus I was super stressed waiting for AP scores to be released (thank god it's my last year dealing with those). I'll probably end up having a heart attack waiting for my MCAT scores. Anyway, enough rambling. I don't know if anyone actually reads my author's notes (I personally like reading other people's).**

Hikiri:** You're sweet. I know you do, otherwise you wouldn't have stuck with me through all my other stories. =)**

Aogetsu:** I'm sorry it's a tragedy. I feel like tragedies are the only things I'm capable of writing haha. Her name's pronounced Kirie (I know they probably didn't name their kids Kyrie back then, considering it's a biblical name and all, but I really liked it, and I wanted to use it =P )**

gozita444:** I was originally going to make the prologue a lot longer, and build their relationship a bit more, but for some reason (even unknown to me) I decided not to. I actually really like Satomi too. I was trying to create someone really detestable, but I ended up liking him after I finished the chapter haha. Thanks!**

Ainhoa11:** Thank you! I hope you enjoy this one too!**

Ayu-chan Yoshizawa Ayumu:** Thanks! Don't worry, it's still ongoing.**

Louve:** Thank you so much! It's always great to see people from other countries enjoying my stories! I hope you enjoy reading this one!**

**Reviews are very much appreciated! Thanks to all those who followed and favorited as well!**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"Shit, I'm going to be late!" The young girl threw the covers aside and scrambled out of bed, realizing that she only had fifteen minutes before the first bell rang. She quickly tugged on her uniform and ran a brush haphazardly through her long, black mane of hair. After shoving a toothbrush in her mouth and deeming her teeth clean, she leapt down the stairs two at a time. "Mom!" She whined. "Why didn't you wake me up?!"

The aging woman looked back at her daughter with a raised eyebrow. "Didn't you say you were an adult? Adults don't need anyone to wake them up." She turned her attention back to the kitchen counter.

"But mom, what if I'm late?"

"Then that's your own fault, isn't it? Hang on a second, your toast is almost ready."

The girl leaned against the dining table and turned on the radio nearby to listen to the news as she waited.

"_Last night, in the Shinjuku ward, a shooting between local gangs resulted in three confirmed deaths and eight others injured. The Fujiwara faction and the Oogami faction-"_

"Your toast is done." Her mother shot a dirty look at the radio and sighed. "It's dangerous out there. Be careful."

She pushed away from the table and grabbed the toast. "Yeah mom, I know. It's not like this isn't a daily occurrence."

"Well, it can never hurt to be too careful." Her mother followed her to the front door and watched as she pulled on her brown, leather loafers.

"Yeah, alright." The girl pushed the door open.

"Oh also, Kyrie, come home right after school. Your father's returning from his business trip today." Her mother called after her.

"Alright!" Kyrie shouted over her shoulder. She sprinted down the sidewalk to the large intersection several blocks away. The large, morning sun peeked out over the tops of the large skyscrapers flanking both sides of the street. As she took a bite out of her toast, she pulled out her cell phone. Five minutes to get to school. She snorted confidently. "I can do this." She jumped as her phone vibrated with an incoming text.

'_Where are you?' _It read. _'School's about to start.' _The crowd of people around her surged forward and Kyrie glanced up to see that the light had turned from red to green. Taking another large bite of her toast, she stuffed the phone back into the pocket of dark-blue blazer without bothering to respond to the message, and flew across the crosswalk to school.

The chimes of the school bell sounded as she stuffed her loafers in the shoe locker and slipped on her school slippers. Taking the stairs two at a time she threw open the back door to her first classroom and crossed the threshold just as the last note of the bell began to die away. "Safe!" She cried. She heard snorts of laughter from her peers.

The door in the front opened and a fairly young woman walked in. "Tsukino-san, next time I won't let you off so easily if I catch you running in the hallways again." She warned with a hint of wry humor in her voice.

"Yes, I'm sorry." She muttered apologetically, bowing slightly.

"Go sit down. I need to call roll." The teacher put her books down on the podium in the front of the classroom as Kyrie slipped into her seat next to the window. She droned a dutiful "here" as her name was called and then slipped into a silent lull.

She felt a smarting throb on her forehead as her reverie was broken. Crying out in pain, she saw a piece of chalk roll off her desk and fall with a _clack_ onto the floor. "Ow, what the heck?!" She grumbled loudly, rubbing the sore spot.

"I'm glad you're with us now." The teacher in the front of the room tossed another piece of chalk up and down with an arched eyebrow. Her lips curled. "Now that I have your attention, why don't you pick up that piece of chalk next to your desk, come up here and solve this question for us?" She pointed at the math equation on the board.

"But sensei!" Kyrie protested.

"Now." The teacher ordered sweetly, her eyes narrowing. The girl groaned, bending down to pick up the chalk that had fallen onto the ground. She stood in front of the chalkboard and stared at the equation blankly. Seconds seemed to drag on for minutes. Finally the teacher sniffed. "I'll give you a hint: integration by parts."

Kyrie gave her a dubious look. "Sensei, no one even knows what that means!"

"You would if you had been paying attention in class."

"I _do_ pay attention!"

"Oh really now?" The teacher's pencil-thin eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "Then I guess you just forgot everything after I taught it." Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. "I was being lenient yesterday and didn't assign the homework that I had originally planned, but it seems like that was a bad mistake. Tsukino-san, tomorrow, I expect you to turn in not only tonight's homework, but also last night's homework as well."

"Sensei!"

"Should I add more?"

"No, I'm sorry." She bowed her head.

"Sit." Kyrie begrudgingly did as she was told. She forced herself to sit through the remainder of her classes so that the incident didn't repeat itself again. Finally the lunch bell rang and she jumped out of her seat and headed for the hallway.

"Kyrie, where are you going?" One of her friends caught her before she left.

"I have to go buy some bread from the cafeteria before they're all out. I left my bento at home."

"Alright, come back quickly!"

"I will." She raced through the hallway and pushed through the dense crowed of people buying bread until she had elbowed her way to the front. "One melon bread, and one custard bread please." Kyrie waited until the aging lady had handed her the bread before squeezing back through the bodies and heading back to the classroom. Once there, she pulled up a chair to her friend's desk. "Momoka, Rei, It feels like I have such bad luck today." She complained to her two closest companions.

"For real." Momoka agreed, swallowing her mouthful of rice. "You almost come in late, then you get called out during math class, and then, the teacher piles on extra homework for you tonight."

"I don't envy you." Rei nodded. "Did you get my text this morning?"

"Yeah, I didn't have time to reply though. Anyway, what was with that question the teacher had me do on the chalkboard?" Kyrie asked, angrily tearing open the plastic wrap containing her melon bread. "Integrate arctan(x)?" She snorted. "Who the hell knows how to do something like that anyway?"

"Well, the teacher _did_ teach us how to do that question yesterday during class. It was part of the notes." Rei pointed out. "You just weren't paying attention."

"Wait, what? She did?" Kyrie gapped at her.

"Yeah." Momoka grinned. "Not that any of us know how to do it either. You really saved all of us today, Kyrie."

"You guys are so mean!" Kyrie scowled. "And you call yourself my friends."

They laughed. "Oh hey, that's right." Rei glanced at the other two. "What do you guys think about going to karaoke tonight? I'll gather up some other people. It's good to have fun once in awhile."

"Sure, I'll go." Momoka smiled at the thought.

"Karaoke?" Kyrie asked. "I want to go!"

"You sure about that Kyrie?" Momoka looked uncertain. "Don't you have extra homework to do tonight?"

She shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." Then she remembered what her mother had told her this morning. "Oh, actually never mind. You're right, Momoka. I can't go. My dad's coming back from his business trip today so I need to get home early." She sighed.

"It's okay." Rei reached over and patted her shoulder. "You can come next time."

She sighed again. "Yeah, for sure. Man, what a bummer. What an awful day."

* * *

Finally the final bell rang. "I'll see you tomorrow!" Kyrie threw a goodbye to her friends over her shoulder before heading to the shoe lockers to exchange her slippers for her brown, leather loafers. She took her time walking down to the intersection, enjoying the feeling of being outside. It was March. The sun was large and bright in the sky. Even though the temperature was pleasant, she could still feel the lingering traces of winter in the air.

The light changed and Kyrie stepped forward onto the crosswalk. As she neared the halfway mark, she noticed a striking young man with sandy-brown hair and vivid, forest-green eyes. He was dressed smartly in a black suit and a black tie. There was a playful and flirtatious air about him, but his eyes were serious. She was so entranced by him that she barely noticed a man, several paces behind him, pull out a gun and point it directly at the sandy-haired man. The glint of the sunlight on the dark metal made Kyrie focus on it, and her amber eyes widened as his finger moved to pull the trigger. She threw herself at the green-eyed man and pulled him sideways, just as a loud bang rang out. Thrown off balance by his weight, she stumbled.

"Dammit!" She heard the green-eyed man curse before she felt the impact of her head against the asphalt, and then everything went dark.

* * *

Soft voices drifted into her consciousness. "Just a minor concussion. She'll be fine. I've called her parents. They're on the way." The door opened and closed, the doctor's footsteps dying away.

"Where were your guards?" A soft voice asked sternly.

"I dismissed them for the day."

"Why? You know how dangerous it is to wander around by yourself."

"It's so stuffy being with them all the time."

"Yes, and now look at the consequences."

"I get it, Hajime-kun, okay? Besides, I could have taken care of him myself. I didn't need her to save me." There was silence and then a sigh. "Don't worry, I'll take responsibility for it."

"Alright Souji, I'll hold you to your word." Expensive sounding shoes tapped against the linoleum floor. The door opened again, and the person Souji was talking to exited the room.

The sound of footsteps grew louder. "Get up. I know you're awake."

Kyrie opened her eyes to see the green-eyed man standing over her. She pushed herself up so that she was sitting with her back leaning against the headboard. "Hey." She greeted. "So what happened to the guy who was trying to kill you?"

"I took care of him easily. He was an amateur." He sat down on the stool next to her bed. "Now then, I have some things I need to discuss with you, but first things first." He held out his right hand. "I'm Okita Souji."

She took his hand. "Tsukino Kyrie." She paused. "Hang on a second, Okita Souji? I've heard that name before on the radio, several times."

Okita smiled tightly. "Yes, I suspect you have. Now then, now that we have all that introduction crap out of the way, do you have _any_ idea _what_ you have done?" He leaned forward, his eyes blazing.

Kyrie glared back at him. "I saved your sorry ass: that's what I did. Why? Do you have a problem with that?"

"Yes actually I do." He hissed. "You saved me, and I thank you for that, not that I needed any saving. I knew he was behind me, and I knew what he was going to do, but that's not the problem. You've just opened up a Pandora's box."

"I don't see why that should concern you." She lifted her chin up indignantly. "You're the leader of a mafia group right? One of the most powerful ones in Japan. Shouldn't you be used to dealing with this stuff? And in any case, it's your own fault for wandering about without your bodyguards. If you had them with you, you wouldn't be in this situation right now."

"I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about you, idiot."

"What?"

"Now all my enemies will think you're with me, and attack you. And believe me, I have a lot of enemies."

"I can deal with them." She stated confidently.

"Deal with the mafia? You'd end up dead after they've tortured you for a while."

"Then what do you propose?" Her amber eyes narrowed.

Okita stood up and offered her his hand again. "Come with you. You're parents will be protected as well."

She scoffed. "Join the mafia to escape the mafia?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"No, but I'd rather not join the mafia if I can help it, so I decline." She pushed his hand away.

He smirked. "A foolish decision." His head turned slightly at the sound of a commotion outside the room. He bent down, scribbled something on the pad sitting on the nightstand next to her bed, ripped the top sheet off and handed it to her. "My phone number in case you change your mind." She took it. He raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "It looks like your parents are here." He said as the door burst open.

"Kyrie!" Her mother cried, running to her bedside. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine mom." She reassured.

Her father turned to Okita and bowed. "Thank you for looking after my daughter, I'm sorry if she's caused you any trouble."

"Dad!" Kyrie shouted, gaping in shock at him.

Okita laughed. "No, no, I should be the one thanking her for saving me. But she does have an impressive mouth."

Her father gasped. "Did she say anything rude to you?"

"Not at all." He replied smoothly, walking to the door. On his way out, he looked back over his shoulder and winked at her.

* * *

A week passed since Kyrie's encounter with Okita. _"I guess he was just trying to scare me."_ She thought as she waved a cheerful goodbye to her friends before heading back home. _"But what if what he said was true?"_ She argued with herself as she climbed the stairs to her apartment on the second floor. She shook her head. _"No, no. Something would have happened by now."_ She reasoned. Pushing the door open, she shouted a greeting to her parents, but no one answered. _"How strange."_ She glanced down and saw two pairs of shoes in the entryway which meant that both her mother and her father were home, but why was no one answering? She cautiously made her way into the living room and stopped short, her eyes widening. In front of the coffee table, her parents were kneeling on the floor, trembling, and their eyes wide with fear. Their ankles were bound and wrists were tied behind their backs with ropes. A gag prevented them from speaking. Behind them stood two men in black suits – each pointing a pistol at her parents' heads. Several more men in suits flanked the walls of the living room.

Her eyes, dilated with terror, traveled to an attractive man lounging comfortably on her sofa. His face was thin and angular, but his lips were full. His wavy fringe was styled so that it covered the left half of his face, leaving one coal-black eye to peep out between the long bangs. He stood up and tossed his hair back to reveal a long scar going straight through his left eyelid, from his thin eyebrows to the top of his cheek bones. He smiled coldly at her. "You're finally home. I was getting impatient, wondering how long I'd have to wait."

"W-who are you?" She asked, her voice wavering slightly. Her fingers balled into fists as she gathered her courage.

"Fujiwara Satomi. Leader of the Fujiwara faction."

"Let my parents go." Kyrie noted that she sounded more confident than she actually felt.

He shook his head and chuckled. "Unfortunately that'll be impossible. I need something to bargain with." He approached Kyrie, only stopping when he was right in front of her. Leaning down, he tilted his head so that his lips were barely grazing her ear. "Now then, how does this sound? Tell me where Okita Souji is, and I'll let your parents go."

She moved to step back, but he grabbed her shoulders, preventing her from moving even an inch away. "I don't know. I don't know anything about him."

His tongue clicked. "That won't do. Lying to me isn't going to help anything at all."

"It's the truth. I only met him for the first time a week ago when I saved him."

Satomi sighed. "Don't lie. No one in their right mind would save a stranger."

"Then you're wrong. Even a child has more morals than you. Haven't you ever heard of noblesse oblige? Even though I'm just a normal person, if someone's in trouble, shouldn't I help them if it's within my power?"

His face contorted with rage as he backhanded her. "You sure have guts, talking back to me. I don't need a lecture on morals from you." He snarled. "Hurry up and tell me where I can find Okita Souji. I'm getting impatient here."

Kyrie pressed a hand to her throbbing cheek. "I told you – I met him for the first time last week. I haven't seen him, talked to him, or heard from him since."

Satomi glared at her through narrowed eyes. "Then I guess the lives of your parents don't mean much to you." He raised his hand, ready to signal their execution. "I'm giving one last chance. Tell me where he is!"

"Right here." A voice behind her rang out loudly. Okita stepped forward into the light of the living room. He smiled mockingly at Satomi. "I figured something like this would happen."

Satomi's lips curled in triumph. "You _finally_ show your face to save a mere girl." He reached inside the jacket of his black, three-piece suit and pulled out a sleek, onyx-colored pistol. He cocked it and pointed it directly at Okita's head.

Okita shrugged good-naturedly. "Well I _do_ need to repay my debt to her. It's a pretty hefty one too." He didn't seem bothered at all by the weapon of destruction pointed at him. "Well then, shall we end this farce now?"

The black-haired man laughed once, amusement sparkling in his eyes. "You plan to take me and my men on all by yourself?"

An eyebrow arched over a forest-green eye. "Not at all." He clapped twice, the sound reverberating sharply in the small room. Suddenly, all the men in the room, including the two behind her parents raised their guns and pointed them at Satomi.

"What is the meaning of this?" He hissed. The tables were turned now, and Satomi knew it.

Okita reached out and grabbed the frame of the pistol. He stepped forward, pushing the barrel aside. "What a pity. You can't even differentiate between your men and mine. And I thought you were smarter than that." He sighed dramatically. "It just goes to show that even I can be wrong." He turned his back to the man, obviously belittling him. "I want him alive." He nodded to the men flanking the walls. The struggle was over in less than a minute, and Satomi was detained with his cheek pressed against the wooden floor. Okita knelt down and cut the ropes binding Kyrie's parents with a small knife he had pulled from his pocket. Then he stood up and strutted to her. He held out his right hand. "My offer still stands you know. I'll protect you and your parents." He said with a small, arrogant smile. Kyrie's light-brown eyes locked his green ones in a long, hard stare before reluctantly extending her right hand and taking his.


	3. Chapter 3

**And another chapter done! Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze one more in before I leave for college. This chapter felt a bit awkward to me, but I hope you guys enjoy it nevertheless!**

Hikiri:** Yeah, I changed it. I thought it might be a bit more angsty this way. I'm glad you like my Souji!**

Sarudoshi:** Thanks!**

Louve:** Oh, trust me, I have a problem with those stories too. I'd never write a cliched high school story. Now that I look back on that scene, you're probably right. Haha thank you! I've always thought Okita and Saito would look so handsome in suits.**

Ainhoa11:** And Saito's a leader too! ;D**

inspiredby-u.u-anime18:** I'm really happy that you enjoy my story! The mafia's always interested me too. About your question, yes, Kyrie's personality is slightly different. I believe that the environment shapes one's personality, so since she has a lot more freedom in the AU, she's a lot stronger. Thank you!**

Dannielle:** Here's the next chapter!**

**Thanks for reading, please review!**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

As Kyrie gripped his hand, she noticed a spark of satisfaction in Okita's green eyes. "Protect me?" She asked. "How do you plan on doing that?"

"Well, we'll start out with two bodyguards at all times. They'll follow you everywhere. Even into the restroom."

A blush crept up Kyrie's face and she scowled.

He snorted. "You actually believed me? Don't be ridiculous. They'll stay outside unless they're left with no choice." He shot her a warning look.

"Fine. Don't worry. I won't get into any trouble." She snapped back, her voice as cold as ice. "Where will we live? We can still live in this apartment, right?"

Okita wagged a finger at her. "It'll be too hard to protect you here so you and your parents will move into my mansion."

"Um, actually," A soft voice interrupted their conversation. Kyrie turned around to see her father walking up to them, rubbing his wrists, his face pale and worn. "The truth is, I was meaning to tell you this a while ago, but I never found the right chance too…" He trailed off.

"What is it dad?" Her voice softened.

The aging man pushed his spectacles up his nose and cleared his throat. "Actually, I'm being transferred to the United States."

Kyrie frowned, wondering if she had heard correctly.

"I was transferred to the Boston branch in Massachusetts. Your mother's coming with me."

"When?"

"Next week."

"But dad, I'm graduating high school in less than a month! You can't delay it?"

He shook his head. "Unfortunately not. I already asked for a delay. I was originally supposed to go in December, but this is as long as they can wait. The company isn't doing too well over there, and they're worried."

"Then what am I supposed to do?!" Kyrie cried. "I can't very well transfer schools right before graduation!"

"I know." Her father stood his ground. "I know. That's why I had been unable to tell you until now. I have to go to America, but I can't leave you here by yourself. Japan's just too dangerous. I was already apprehensive leaving you and your mother behind during my business trips. I can't concentrate if I'm constantly worried about your safety. But now" he glanced up at Okita. "Now, I feel like I can rest at ease if you're with Okita-kun, if I know that such a powerful man is protecting you."

"Protect me? Dad, he's part of the mafia!"

"And who better to protect you?" He gripped her upper arm, his hands still shaking from the incident. "So do you want to come with us, or do you want to stay and finish high school here?"

Kyrie's eyes shifted to meet Okita's. His lips twitched in a smirk. "I'll stay here." She replied cooly.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Yes." She walked over to where her mother was cowering on the floor and wrapped her arms around her shoulder. "Don't worry, it's over now. I'm sorry I had to put you through that, mom."

She glanced up at her daughter, her eyes wide with panic. "Please come with us, Kyrie. You can't stay here, it's so dangerous. Think about what just happened…"

Kyrie smiled reassuringly. "That's why I've got Okita-san, right? Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'm tough. And you'll be perfectly safe on the other side of the world."

"It's not me I'm worried about, it's you and what the pro-"

"Mizuki!" Her dad cut her mother off before she could finish the sentence. He shook his head sharply and she promptly fell silent.

"And the what?" Kyrie frowned. "What is it you guys aren't telling me?"

"It's nothing." Her father pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, attempting to brush aside the question.

"That didn't sound like nothing."

"Your mother was just worried about your protection, that's all."

"If you say so…" Still staring dubiously at her parents she reluctantly dropped the topic. She stood up and approached Okita, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Are you ready?" He asked. She nodded. "Then let's go. I'll send someone here later tonight to pick up your stuff." She threw one last look over her shoulder at her parents before he led her out of the apartment and escorted her to a black car. The driver climbed out and opened the door. "Get in." Okita gestured. Kyrie complied and slid onto the cool, leather seats. Okita followed her and after the driver had settled comfortably into his seat, he started the car and drove away from the apartment.

As they sped through the streets of Tokyo, Kyrie angled her body so that her back was towards the sandy-haired man beside her. She saw his reflection in the window tinted so heavily it was almost the same color as the car. His legs were crossed and his arms were folded over his chest. His green eyes bemused as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes. He raised an eyebrow. "Are you mad? Are you ignoring me?" He asked. She didn't respond, and he snorted. "I told you something like this would happen. It's a good thing I showed up before anything happened to you or your parents." He eyed her again. "You should have agreed when I offered the first time. You don't really have anyone to blame but yourself."

At his provocation, Kyrie whipped around and glared at him. "I'm absolutely furious!" She snarled. "But I'm pissed at _myself_, not at _you_!I know I should have accepted the first time! If I had, my parents wouldn't have had to go through all that shit! I don't know how I could have been so fucking stupid! You think I'm not regretting my actions?!"

Okita's eyebrows shot up to his hairline and he chuckled. "That's quite a mouth you've got there." She let out a soft growl which he ignored. "So," he quickly changed the subject. "Do you have any plans tomorrow night?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you use that pick up line with every girl you meet?" She countered.

He shook his head. "No, not all of them. There are other pick up lines too, like-"

"It's fine I don't care." She interrupted. "And no, I don't why?"

"Well, there's someone I'd like you to meet. He's pretty much like a brother to me, and you'll probably be seeing him around a lot, so I thought it'd be a good idea."

"Do whatever you want." She returned to staring out the window.

"Hey, Kyrie-chan…"

"Okita-san."

"You can call me Souji. Since we'll be living together from now on."

"Okita-san," She turned back to him, reining her temper in. "I don't know if you're trying to lighten the mood or whatever, but we should draw the line here. I mind my business, and you mind yours. Let's not stick our noses into each other's personal affairs, and keep a level of formality, shall we?"

His eyes grew cold and he leaned in closer. "I don't think that will be possible due to your…situation." He replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "Whatever I can or cannot do is not up to you to decide." Kyrie felt a chill run down her spine. She had almost forgotten who this man was and the power he wielded. But she would die before she let Okita see that his words had scared her so much and thus she struggled to keep her face blank.

The city landscape flew past as she recalled the incident. _"It would have turned out really badly if he had arrived even a second later." _She shook her head. _"No, it wasn't a coincident. His timing was too impeccable. He knew something like this would happen. No wonder he looked so smug when I finally accepted his offer."_

As the car pulled up to a wrought, iron gate, the driver rolled down his window and leaned out to mutter something into an intercom. The black, metal entranceway swung open heavily, and the car pulled past it. Kyrie jumped as a shrill ring pierced through the heavy silence in the car. Okita pulled out a cell phone from his pants pocket. He glanced at the number on the screen before answering it. "What do you want?" He paused, listening to what the other party had to say. "Take him to that place and wait for me. I have some business to take care of first, and then I'll go there immediately."

She eyed him surreptitiously. "Were you talking about the guy from earlier? What do you plan on doing to him?"

Okita shrugged. "Oh, nothing much, I just need to teach him a lesson."

"Are you going to kill him?" She asked him weakly.

"Probably not, unless he really pisses me off. I can still use him in the future." The car rolled to a stop and Okita stepped out.

"Souji, you're back. That was quick." A light-hearted voice greeted. A young man with spiky, brown hair approached Okita.

"Shinpachi, I thought you were meeting up with a friend." His eyebrows furrowed over his green eyes as he frowned in disgust. "And I thought I told you not to wear those things in my home. I've told you many times: Hawaiian shirts are extremely tacky. Wear them in your own house."

"What?" Shinpachi glanced down at his outfit. "I like them. They're comfortable. And my friend canceled, so I'm hanging out at your place." His eyebrows shot up as he noticed Kyrie standing behind Okita. "Souji, who's this? A girl you picked up? She doesn't look like your normal type. You usually go for the more voluptuous girls."

Kyrie frowned at the comment, feeling self-conscious. But her insecurity quickly disappeared as she recognized the man. "Oh," she blinked in surprise. "Aren't you the gym teacher at my high school?"

Shinpachi studied her for a moment before his eyes widened in recognition. "Hey, I think you're right. Aren't you Tsukino Kyrie from class 3-C?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Does the mafia even extend to public schools?"

"We dabble in several areas." Okita responded. "We even have people stationed in the government. It makes collecting information a lot easier."

"Do people know? Does the Prime Minister know?"

He snorted and rolled his green eyes. "Of course he does. But it's not like he can do anything about it. The mafia is something everyone knows about, but no one talks about. The Prime Minister's a coward. We of the underground hold an unofficial truce with him. He ignores us and we ignore him." His phone rang again. "I'll be there soon." He snapped into the receiver before pocketing it.

"Urgent business?" Shinpachi questioned.

"Not really." He jerked his head towards the front door. "Come on, I have to show you to your room." Shinpachi pushed open the large oak door to reveal a luxurious lobby. A grand chandelier hung from the high ceiling, and the floor was graced with black and white marble tiles. Okita's footsteps echoed off the walls as he veered to the right to a large staircase. Kyrie's shoes sunk into the thick, maroon carpet on the second landing as she followed Okita down the hallway. He stopped in front of a closed door. "This is your room." He explained, rapping his knuckles against the frame. "The bathroom is right next door. There's a phone on the nightstand next to your bed. If you need anything urgently, speed dial zero for the servants' quarters. My study is down the hall in the opposite direction. And your things will be delivered tonight."

"Where's _your_ room?" She asked.

Okita smirked at the question. "Why do you want to know? Are you planning on a rendezvous during the night?"

She flushed a deep shade of red. "N-no!" She stammered.

Shinpachi whistled. "How lucky. I think I'll stay here more often. I can't let Souji hog such a cute girl."

"You're still here?" Okita sneered maliciously. "Sorry pal, but you're not up to my standards. Do you think any girl in their right mind would choose you over me?"

"Ouch." Shinpachi winced as if he had been pierced by a sword. "That hurts." He sighed deeply and shook his head. "You and Saito both. It's impossible picking up girls if I'm with you two. They always seem to flock around you guys, even though Saito has no interest whatsoever in the opposite sex." He winked grandly at Kyrie. "They always get the good ones."

* * *

Jaws dropped as Kyrie stepped into the classroom early next morning. Whispers buzzed from seat to seat and, eyebrow twitching, she dropped into her seat next to the window. The two men in black took up positions in the back of the room. It would be impossible to try and stop the furtive glances her classmates kept stealing at her bodyguards. She saw several people trying to approach her, but luck was on her side as the bell rang. The arrival of the homeroom teacher did little to stop the murmuring. She called for everyone to settle down, but to little avail. It wasn't until she slapped her roster angrily against the podium that the gossiping died away. "Now then," she spit out in annoyance, "as you can see, we have a couple of new additions to our classroom. I want you to ignore them. Anyone who I catch looking back there will be assigned extra homework." She cast a disgruntled look towards Kyrie whose eyes widened innocently.

The morning passed by at an exhaustingly slow speed, but for the first time, Kyrie was dreading the arrival of lunch. As soon as the bell rang for the break, she sprinted for the cafeteria, avoiding the inevitable onslaught of questions. She spared a glance over her shoulder to see her two bodyguards following her, dodging surprised students. She suppressed a snort of laughter. _"They're quite diligent."_ She thought to herself.

After collecting her bread, she headed back to the classroom. The moment she opened the door, she felt two hands clamp down on her shoulders. Her friends shoved her into a nearby chair. "Explain." They ordered simultaneously.

"It's a long story…" Kyrie answered vaguely, trying to wriggle out of the situation.

"And we've got time." Momoka's arm crossed stubbornly.

Kyrie's light-brown eyes roamed around the room. Everyone had gone silent and was staring at her, waiting for her explanation. "Well…" She stalled, but gave up. "I sort of had a run in with the mafia the other day. They're my bodyguards."

Rei arched an eyebrow. "A lot of people have had run ins with the mafia, and none of _them_ have bodyguards. Don't tell me you're actually the daughter of someone really important."

"What if you were actually the daughter of a mafia leader?" Momoka nodded excitedly.

"Guys!" Kyrie scowled. "That's not even funny."

"Yeah," Rei laughed. "There's no way _that_ could be true. So what about your parents?"

"They're leaving for America tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? So soon?"

"They were supposed to leave next week, but due to certain circumstances, they decided to go earlier."

"And you're not going with them?"

"Well, it's not like I can just transfer into a new school when I'm about to graduate."

"That's true."

Momoka sat down next to Kyrie. "Well, let's hurry up and eat before the break is over."

"What, that's it?"

"What?" She looked confused as she opened her bento.

"No more questions?"

"Well, I'm sure you have your own stuff going on. And even amongst friends, you have your own secrets, right?" Momoka smiled kindly. "No one likes having their private life dissected and out in the open."

Finally, the last bell rang. Kyrie brushed off questions as she collected her belongings and headed towards the front gate where a black car sat idle, waiting for her. Worn out, she slumped down low in the black, leather seat. _"Hopefully tomorrow won't be this exhausting."_ She thought to herself as the car sped away from the school.

Her stomach growling in hunger, she pushed open the heavy, front door of Okita's manor. "You're finally home." His voice surprised her. She glanced up to see him in a white collared shirt. He had shed the tie and the black jacket and was leaning over the railing on the second landing with a thick book in his hand. "I just got a call from him. He's on his way."

"Who? What?" Her eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"Don't you remember our little date tonight? I told you I was going to introduce you to my friend."

"Oh, yeah." She remembered him mentioning something about that yesterday in the car.

"_Now_ you remember." He snapped the book shut smartly. "Go change into something comfortable and meet me in the dining room. He'll be here in a few minutes."

Kyrie did as he asked, and as soon as she was dressed in a simple, light-blue blouse and jeans, she joined him at the dining table, occupying the seat directly across from Okita at the end of the table nearest the door. Her foot accidentally bumped into his as she sat down. She muttered a quick apology which he waved away.

"Sir, your guest has arrived." A butler materialized behind Okita.

"Bring him in."

The butler sank into a low bow and disappeared silently, only to reappear moments later. He ushered a tall man into the dimly lit room. Even in the sparse lighting, Kyrie could tell that he was the most handsome man she had ever met. He had an otherworldly beauty about him.

"Over here Hajime-kun." Okita pointed to the chair at the head of the table.

"Souji." He murmured as he sat down. "Isn't she the girl from the hospital?" He cast a sideways glance at Kyrie. At a closer proximity, she could make out his features more clearly. His skin was as white as alabaster, and his eyes a deep shade of cerulean. The ends of his wavy, dark-purple hair brushed lightly against his jaw line and his long fringe cast a shadow over the right half of his face. If there was anyone who could be considered perfection, it would be him.

"Yeah, I picked her up. Isn't she cute?"

"Stop talking about me like I'm a stray dog." She grumbled, tearing her eyes away from the man named Hajime.

"Saito Hajime." The guest introduced himself to her, his voice slightly clipped.

"Oh," she blinked, slightly abashed at her earlier words. She hoped she had not offended him. Her diatribe had been directed at Okita. "Tsukino Kyrie." She noticed his eyes widening slightly.

"Kyrie?" Saito repeated, as if he recognized the name. He shot Okita an elusive look that was returned with an indifferent shrug. Saito recomposed his face into a blank mask once again, regaining his composure. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He dipped his head in a polite nod.

"Likewise." In her nervousness, her hand slipped, and her spoon tumbled to the ground. "Oh, sorry." She muttered, ducking down to hide her embarrassment and to retrieve the silverware. But another hand, a larger one, beat hers to it.

"Here." Saito held out the spoon for her to take.

"Thanks." She flushed. _"Why must I be so clumsy?!"_ She silently scolded herself. As she took the utensil from him, her finger brushed against his, and in that instant, she felt a surge of electricity pass between their skins. She avoided Saito's unnerving gaze and straightened up, her cheeks still a dark shade of red. A maid left her post near the door and traded out her sullied spoon for a new one. Kyrie cleared her throat again and she caught Okita observing her with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

"No, nothing." He responded in an icy tone.

A concealed door in the back of the room opened, and the chef entered, wheeling a silver serving cart. Wordlessly, he placed their dinner in front of them. Kyrie eyed the grilled salmon. It was certainly more extravagant than she would eat on a normal basis. Taking a bite, she savored the taste. It wasn't dry and overcooked. It was perfect. Minutes passed as Kyrie ate her dinner wordlessly. Saito and Okita's soft murmurings added to the clinging of silverware. She had long since given up on listening in on their conversation. She held little interest in the matters they spoke about. Suddenly, the door flew open with a loud _bang_, causing Kyrie to jump violently.

"Shinpachi, I thought I told you not to bother me unless it was something important." Okita's green eyes flashed dangerously.

"We just caught a spy hiding among us." Shinpachi ignored Okita's veiled threat. Saito's blue eyes flickered over to Okita, frowning slightly, as if gauging his reaction.

"A spy?" Okita half-rose out of his chair.

"We caught him the act of slipping information to the Hayashi faction."

"Bring him in." He ordered tersely.

Shinpachi glanced behind him and beckoned with a hand. A young man with hands bound behind his back was dragged into the room. His left eye was swollen shut, and a bruise was blooming at the corner of his mouth. The two guards forced him onto the ground.

Okita walked over to the spy and lightly toed the bruise, making him wince with pain. "So _you're _the spy, huh? I was wondering how Hayashi faction was managing to block our every move. You didn't think you could get away with it did you? Shinpachi, bring me my sword."

"Souji." Saito pushed his chair back to stand next to his friend. "Why don't you do this somewhere else, or at a later time?"

"I'll deal with traitors however I see fit."

Saito's face darkened and he turned to Kyrie. "You should leave."

"No. Stay."

"Souji."

"I want her to see." His visage hardened and his eyes narrowed. Shinpachi returned carrying a katana which he handed to Okita. The sandy-haired man unsheathed it with a smirk on his face. He admired the immaculate, steel blade for a moment before using the sharp edge to cut away the ropes binding the spy's wrists. "Hand." One of the guards forced an arm out in front of the man.

The realization of what Okita was about to do hit Kyrie like a truck speeding down a highway. With a lurch, she vaulted herself out of her chair to wedge herself between Okita and the man on the ground. "Don't do it." She whispered, her voice trembling.

"Kyrie-chan, get out of the way," said Okita in a falsely sweet voice.

"Don't do it." She repeated.

"Hajime-kun." He turned to his best friend.

Rather unwillingly, Saito grasped Kyrie's arm and pulled her against him. "Don't get involved." He breathed into her ear. She went limp against his chest, holding onto him for support as she watched Okita draw near the spy.

On the ground, the man struggled futilely when he realized his human shield was gone. "Stop moving." Okita commanded. "I wouldn't trust myself with my aim." But his resistance didn't cease. "I warned you." Okita's smirk widened, and with elegant swing and a flash of silver, red blood sprayed the ground. A few drops stained Kyrie's shirt. Okita wiped away the crimson blood that had landed on his cheek and chuckled. "You didn't listen when I told you to stay still, and now look what happened. Instead of losing a hand, you lost an arm. Don't fret about it too much though; I'm not done with you yet."

With a gasp, Kyrie wrenched herself out of Saito's grip and stumbled towards the door, using the wall as support. She paused momentarily to steady her trembling legs, and when she looked up, Okita was in front of her. "Move." She managed to force out.

He slapped a hand against the wall next to her head and she flinched at the sound. "Observe well and learn Kyrie-chan." His fingers grazed her cheekbone in a seemingly tender fashion. "I despise traitors and punish them severely." He leaned in closer as she tried to back away from him. "And you'll do well to remember this one final thing: the hands of everyone in mafia are stained with blood, whether they want it to be or not."


End file.
